Fox CEO James Murdoch slams Trump and hate groups, pledges $1 million to ADL21st Century Fox Chief Executive James Murdoch, the son of Rupert Murdoch, denounced the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Va., and President Donald Trump's response to it in an email obtained and published late Thursday . Murdoch also said he will donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League, and encouraged others to donate as well. A Fox spokesperson verified the email as authentic. In the email addressed to "friends," Murdoch wrote: "What we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people. . . . I can't even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists." His father, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, has been a strong supporter and informal adviser of Trump, and 21st Century Fox is the parent of Fox News. Rupert Murdoch also controls News Corp. , the parent company of MarketWatch and the Wall Street Journal.

Energy Capital Partners nears $17 billion deal to buy Calpine: reportCalpine Corp. shares shot up more than 9% in after-hours trading late Thursday after that Energy Capital Partners is closing in on a $17 billion deal to acquire it. Energy Capital, a private-equity firm specializing in energy infrastructure, would pay $15.25 a share for the power-generating company, sources told the Journal, which would value Calpine at $5.5 billion. Including debt, the deal would be valued at about $17 billion, the Journal said, and may be announced as soon as Friday. Calpine is known mostly for its natural-gas power plants, and provides power for about 6.5 million residential customers across the U.S.

Nvidia, Facebook and 13 other companies are the real earnings-season winners Investors would be wise to focus on sales per share and gross marginsInvestors would be wise to focus on sales per share and gross margins, says Phil van Doorn.

Fear Trump, North Korea or an expensive stock market? This fund plays defense The Permanent Portfolio might serve as a good hedge for a portion of your investmentsThe Permanent Portfolio might serve as a good hedge for a portion of your investments.

Want to fight climate change? Don’t invest in Tesla Building an electric car creates more CO2 than it saves, Morgan Stanley calculatesClimate change is almost unanimously considered one of the gravest threats facing humanity, with the worst-case scenarios representing massive environmental destruction. Investors hoping to combat it with their portfolio allocations can, but one famous environmentally-focused company may actually be doing more harm than good.

Energy sector ETF tumbles into first bear market in 18 monthsThe SPDR Energy Select Sector exchange-traded fund fell 1.4% Thursday to close at a 16-month low, enough to kick off a new bear market. Many market participants define a bear market as a decline of 20% or more from a bull market peak. And the ETF tracking the energy sector (XLF), which is one of the S&P 500's 11 key sectors, has now lost 20.3% since closing at a bull-market peak of $77.83 on Dec. 13, 2016, which at the time was an 18-month high. Of the XLE's 32 components, 15 have tumbled more than 20% year to date, and 11 of lost more than 30%. The last bear market for the XLE had ended on March 7, 2016, when the XLE closed 20.5% above its previous bear market low of $51.77 on Jan. 20, 2016. On Thursday, 30 of the XLE's components closed lower, with shares of Marathon Oil Corp. down 3.3% to pace the decliners. Chesapeake Energy Corp.'s stock slumped 3.0%, and was the most active component with 36 million shares traded. The XLE's losses Thursday come , as September crude oil futures settled up 0.7%.

Where was KPMG, Wells Fargo’s auditor, while the funny business was going on? KPMG wrote senators that it knew about the illegal activities for a while, but didn’t think they were that big of a deal External auditors are supposed to serve as a last line of defense if misbehavior is going on at a company, but KPMG said nothing through years of misdeeds at Wells Fargo.

Target’s small-format stores are turning into a big win for the retailer Target, Kohl’s and Sephora are among the retailers opening smaller storesTarget is one of the retailers turning to smaller-format locations to reach audiences in new geographic locations with more personalized service.

The wild mystery ride of Roomba maker iRobot Stock of the maker of robotic vacuums has soared to all-time highs, and it’s tough to figure out whyA once obscure robotics company known for robotic vacuums has seen its stock gone on a wild run that is even more perplexing than trying to use a Roomba without getting it stuck on your area rug.

Pay TV avoids losing more than a million subscribers with advent of new streaming services Traditional pay TV lost 976,000 subscribers in second quarter, below the analyst forecast of 1.3 million lossesPay TV lost 976,000 subscribers during the second quarter, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. That is below the symbolic 1 million threshold and analyst forecast of 1.3 million losses.

August cross currents persist, S&P 500 back for latest crack at 2,450 breakout point Focus: Crude oil violates trendline support, USO, LRCX, IAG, SCCO, PRGOU.S. stocks are lower early Thursday, pressured after marquee disappointing earnings reports — from Cisco Systems and Wal-Mart Stores — combined with a delayed reaction to the Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes, released Wednesday afternoon. In the process, the S&P 500 is back for its latest crack at major support — the S&P 2,450-to-2,453 area — and the retest should be a useful bull-bear gauge. Thursday’s early session low rests at 2,451.

Why Amazon’s seven-part bond deal is a bargain Amazon sold $16 billion of bonds to finance its $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods, and analysts were upbeatAmazon sold $16 billion of bonds Tuesday to finance its planned $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods, and CreditSights analysts said the deal is a buy.

Agilent shares jump 4% after earnings blow past estimates Analysts cheer an earnings beat and increase in guidance for the full yearThe maker of scientific and medical equipment blew past estimates for its fiscal third quarter and raised guidance for the year.

Wal-Mart earnings: Some analysts say traffic has fallen, others say it has grown Dueling proprietary analyses come to different conclusions about second-quarter trafficTwo traffic reports from different sets of analysts come to differing conclusions about Wal-Mart’s second-quarter traffic, once saying it grew, and another saying it slipped.

Dow extends win streak to reclaim 22,000-mark on Fed minutes Disbanding of Trump’s advisory panels contributes to uncertaintyU.S. stocks close moderately higher on Wednesday, with the Dow rising for a fourth day, after Federal Reserve minutes suggested that the central bank is wrestling with sluggish inflation but eager to commence an unwind of its $4.5 trillion asset portfolio.

Dow books 4th straight gain, but Trump, Fed make for bumpy stock-market rideU.S. stocks ended a volatile session slightly higher on Wednesday, following what might have seemed to some like a torrent of political drama, economic reports and minutes from the Federal Reserve that showed that the central bank is contending with sluggish inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up 0.1% at about 22,025, marking its fourth straight advance, the S&P 500 index closed 0.1% higher at 2,468, and the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.2% to end at 6,345. Markets traded unsteadily Wednesday afternoon, reflecting uncertainty about the strategic path for the central bank and political tensions facing President Donald Trump that could upend his pro-growth agenda. President Trump announced the dissolution of a pair of business advisory panels following a wave of high-profile departures of corporate leaders after widespread criticism over the president's reaction and late-Tuesday remarks to violence in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend. Meanwhile, the Fed's minutes revealed a dovish posture, indicating that some members are concerned about sluggish inflation and wanted to move cautiously. In economic news, housing starts fell 5.6% in July weaker than expected. In corporate news, shares of retailing giant Target Corp. rose after it reported an increase in same-store saales and lifted its guidance for the full-year 2017. The Fed's minutes had a pronounced effect on the yields of 10-year Treasurys, driving prices higher and yields down by the most in 3 weeks, while the ICE U.S. Dollar Index , which measures the buck against a basket of six rivals, declined precipitously due to a combination of shaky economic reports and news about turmoil in Washington.

Bitcoin ticks higher following pullback from record Cryptocurrency is less than 4% from record set on TuesdayThe price of bitcoin rises Wednesday, following a brief dip below the $4,000 mark, in an apparent run at another record high.

U.K. stocks score 3rd straight gain after June jobs data Admiral shares hit hard after earnings report; Sage upgraded U.K. stocks are rising Wednesday, with gains for BHP Billiton and other miners helping to guide the market to a third consecutive advance, while an update from the British labor market came in better than had been anticipated.

Dick’s Sporting Goods’ stock slides 20%, but one analyst is still a fan Analyst declares the end of the athleisure trendDick’s Sporting Goods shares are down more than 21%, but the company is hanging on to a leadership position in the athletic sector, analysts say.

S&P 500 holds the range, Dow rises within view of uncharted territory Focus: Semiconductors hold the trendline, SMH, PEP, AAWW, CHL, LVS, WIFIU.S. stocks are higher early Wednesday, rising ahead of the Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes, due out this afternoon. In the process, the S&P 500 has lifted from near-term support, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average has rallied within striking distance of record territory.

Target revises reporting, after SEC calls out non-GAAP gross margin After a series of exchanges with the regulator, Target found a way to bring its gross margin back in compliance with GAAPComing around to the regulator’s way of thinking cost the company 4/10 of 1% in gross margin for fiscal 2016 and adjusts its go-forward cost of sales reporting.

Dow industrials try for 4th straight gain as broader market climbsU.S. stock benchmarks traded modestly higher on Wednesday, and within range of all-time highs, as investors awaited the latest Federal Reserve minutes, which could indicate whether more rate increases are ahead in 2017 The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2% at 22,042, the S&P 500 index rose 0.2% at 2,470, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.3% at 6,349. The Fed is expected to release minutes from its July meeting at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, which could offer more details on its plan to unwind its $4.5 trillion asset portfolio. A reduction of that portfolio is being closely watched because it can serve as an additional monetary-tightening mechanism for the central bank, in addition to lifting interest rates. Ahead of the minutes, data on housing missed expectations. Housing starts fell 5.6% in July, compared with the year-ago period, and they were off 4.8% from June's pace. In corporate news, shares of retail giant Target Corp. rose 1.8% after reporting an increase in same-store sales and lifting its 2017 outlook.

Palo Alto Networks and Twitter show the good and bad of fat stock-based pay for bosses Dilution from stock-based compensation can be painful for shareholdersDilution from stock-based compensation can be painful for shareholders, writes Phil van Doorn.

Apple is ready to invest $1 billion in its quest for Hollywood programming Company immediate becomes a considerable competitor in crowded market for original showsApple has set a budget of roughly $1 billion to procure and produce original content over the next year, according to people familiar with the matter—a sign of how serious the iPhone maker is about making a splash in Hollywood.

There’s a new way to mine for lithium and it’s right here in the U.S. Using trace elements as proxy, Stanford says it is easier to detect lithium in supervolcano lake depositsA study by Stanford University researchers say there’s a new way to detect lithium in supervolcanoes.

Former Netflix executive wants to shake up moviegoing with $10 MoviePass service CEO is slashing the price of a monthly pass in an effort to get more people into cinemasMovie theater subscription service MoviePass is tearing a page right out of Netflix’s book in hopes of providing the Hollywood box office with an injection of innovation to drive audiences to cinemas and multiplexes.

San Francisco beer embraces Silicon Valley-style buyouts Plenty of reasons for small brewers to leave the city and for big ones to enterThere are plenty of reasons for small brewers to leave the city, and for big ones to enter, writes Jason Notte.

AFL-CIO leader quits Trump’s manufacturing council in disgust Richard Trumka rips ‘a president that tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism’AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka resigned from President Donald Trump’s manufacturing council Tuesday, the fourth executive to quit the council in two days and the first in the wake of Trump’s unhinged press conference Tuesday.

Dow closes higher for 3rd session in a row, but broader market ends slightly lower S&P seen at ‘inflection point’; Home Depot falls after resultsThe Dow industrials manage to eke out a third day of gains, but overall the main benchmarks ended little changed amid better-then-expected retail sales data and an abatement of tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

Bill Gates donates nearly $4.7 billion in stock to his foundation Massive 64-million-share transfer in June is his largest gift since 2008Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates handed over 64 million shares of the software giant to his foundation in June, a $4.68 billion donation based on current share prices that would rank as his most valuable to the organization in more than a decade.

New Pandora Media CEO good match for struggling music service Opinion: Roger Lynch could try to grow with more international investment, and investors will have to be patientPandora Media Inc.’s new chief executive, Roger Lynch, the CEO of SlingTV, a subscription streaming television company, seems a good fit for the struggling digital radio pioneer and investors hoping for a new strategy breathed a sigh of relief.

Investors are misinterpreting positive benefit of $10 MoviePass on cinemasMoviePass, a movie theater subscription service, on Tuesday unveiled plans to from $30-and-up. Shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. , , fell as much as 5.8% during the day. It was followed down by shares of Imax Corp. , which fell 2.4%, Regal Entertainment Group's 1.9% drop, Marcus Corp.'s 1.5% fall, while Cinemark Holdings fell as much as 1%. MoviePass allows members to see a movie a day for just $10 a month. B. Riley analyst Eric Wold wrote in a note to investors that he believed investors were misinterpreting the MoviePass news as a negative for the box office and film exhibitors. "The key thing to keep in mind is that MoviePass cannot do this in a bubble -- they needed the approval of both studios and exhibitors, who would not sign off on anything that was detrimental to their financial outlook," Wold wrote. "Studios and exhibitors are not taking a discount under the MoviePass model. We understand that MoviePass is absorbing the ticket discount and hoping to make up the discount through monetizing the data and the breakage." Wold said this is a positive for the cinema group as well as box office and concession results, though he believes it will be a small benefit. Shares of AMC have declined nearly 61% in the year to date, while Imax shares are down nearly 41%, Regal Entertainment and Marcus Corp shares are both down almost 19% and shares of Cinemark are down 6%. By comparison, the S&P 500 index is up more than 10%.

Home Depot's stock cuts about 30 points from Dow industrialsThe Dow Jones Industrial Average switched between gains and losses on Tuesday, as shares of Home Depot pressured the equity gauge. Home Depot's stock was down $4.72, or 3%, in afternoon trade and slicing about 32 points from the price-weighted Dow . A price move of about $1 in any of its 30 components equates to a roughly 6.85-point tilt in the Dow. A slide in shares of United Technologies Corp. and Nike Inc. also dragged on the average, combining to exert a roughly 54-point weight on the Dow. On the upside, shares of Apple Inc. were contributing about 12 points to the benchmark, up 1.4%, and American Express Co. added about 10 points, rising 1.7%. Home Depot's share decline came even as the home-improvement retailer Home Depot Inc. for the second time this year as it reported better-than-expected second-quarter results. Overall, the Dow was down 7 points, or less than 0.1%, at 21,986, while the S&P 500 index was off 0.1% at 2,463, and the Nasdaq Composite Index was trading 0.1% lower at 6,334. All three major benchmarks had opened slightly higher and were on track to book their third straight gain as tensions between the U.S. and North Korea ease and as a batch of economic reports, including retail sales, came in better than expected.

Target earnings: Private labels are working, but food is still a weak spot Target’s overlap with Amazon is also an analyst concernTarget’s private labels, like Cat & Jack, are a boost to the retailer, but it still has issues with food and competition with Amazon.

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